Tobacco product and method for making same



April 14, 1964 s. T. susTAvsoN ETAL TOBACCG PRODUCT AND METHOD FORMAKING SAME V. 23. 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet l Original Filed No April 14,1964 s. T. Gus'rAvsoN ETAL 3,128,771

TOBACCO PRODUCT AND METHOD FOR MAKING SAME 6 SheetshSheet 2 OriginalFiled Nov. 23. 1956 lNvEN'roRs STERLING T. GUSTAVSON ICTOR G. HANSONApril 14, 1964 5,1'. GusTAvsoN ETAL 3,128,771

TOBACCO PRODUCT AND METHOD FOR MAKING SAME Original Filed Nov. 23. 19566 Sheets-Sheet 5 vlcroh G. HANsoN W la Aprll 14, 1964 s. T. GusrAvsoNETAI. 3,128,771

TOBACCO PRODUCT AND METHOD FOR MAKING SAME original Filed Nov. 23. 195ee sheets-sheet 4 FIG. 4

RLIN T. GUSTAVSON STE VI TOR G. HANSON ATTORNEY INVE TORS April 14, 1964s. T. GusTAvsoN ETAL 3,128,771

TOBACCO PRODUCT AND METHOD FOR MAKING SAME 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 OriginalFiled Nov. 23, 1956 lNvENToRs STERLING T GUSTAVSON Y VICTOR G HANSON M{q ATTORNEY April 14, 1964 s. T. GUSTAVSON ETAL TOBACCO PRODUCT ANDMETHUD FOR MAKING SAME origina-1 Filed Nov. 23. 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet 6FIG. IO

ENTORS INV STE LING T. GUSTAVSON RVKISTOR G. HANSON ATTORNEY UnitedStates Patent O 3,128,771 'I'BACCO PRDUJT AND METHOD FR MAKING SAMESterling T. Gnstavson, Rosedaie, and Victor G. Hanson, Brooklyn, N.Y.,assigners to International Cigar Machinery Company, a corporation of New`Iersey Original application Nov. 23, 1956, Ser. No. 624,067, now PatentNo. 3,016,779, dated Jan. 16, 1962. Divided and this application Apr. 7,1961, Ser. No. 108,228 9 Claims. (Cl. ISI- 15) This application is adivision of our application Serial No. 624,067, led November 23, 1956and now Patent No. 3,016,779 and claim is made to all the equitable andlegal benets derivable therefrom.

This invention relates to automatic feeds for web material on high speedcigar machines.

An object of the invention is to cut a desired shape from the leadingend of a web material with a minimum of waste material.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a method and anapparatus for cutting successive leading portions from the leading endof a web with such economy with respect to waste.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a method andapparatus which can be readily varied for cigars of varying lengths anddiameters without the necessity of expensive modelling parts.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an apparatus whichmay be readily attached to existing cigar machines to operate in placeof and from the mechanisms of the cutting die turrets to deliver webportions of a continuous web of Wrapper or binder material into themachine.

It is another object of the invention to utilize existing suctionalcontrol means on the machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method for severingsuitably shaped sections from the leading end of a web with a minimum ofWaste. This has been accomplished by providing a web width of cigarlength and cutting for cigar diameter.

It is an object of the invention to feed a web whose width is related tothe length of a cigar so that parallel edges ofthe web may be utilizedwithout further severance and the relative head to tuck ratioestablished by angulation of the transverse cutter supplemented by asmall waste tab at the tuck end only.

It is an object of the invention to so feed the web that variations -inthe diameter of the cigar may be taken care f by mere adjustment of theincrement of web feed and variations in the length of the cigar may betaken care of by selection of a suitable source of web width. Thus thenovel method may be practised by feeding web across a suctional cuttingtable which is utilized for all shapes thus eliminating expensive modelparts.

It is an object of the invention to devise a method and apparatus formore economical use of material while eliminating the need of expensivemodelling parts.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a simpliiied transverseknife and to eliminate at least one tab cutting knife.

Other objects will become apparent in the following disclosure embodyingthe invention, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the binder web feeding apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the driving and suction control mechanismof the binder web feeding apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the binder web feeding ap-. paratus;

FIG. 4 is an end elevation of the same, taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a detailed plan view, partly in section, of

3,128,771 Patented Apr'. 14, 1964 ICC the web feed head in conjunctionwith the suction table cutting mechanism;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a binder after being cut from the web andtrimmed, the length of the cigar to be made determining the width of theweb;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a binder made by a web feed method in which thecutting and trimming is accomplished at the same time;

FIG. 8 is a partial sectional side elevation of the suction table andweb feed head taken on line 8 8 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a partial end elevation of the suction table, taken on line 99 of FIG. 3, illustrating the ledger plate yand trimming knife connectedtherewith; and

FIG. 10 is an end `elevation partly in section, of the suction controlbox in conjunction with its slide valves.

With reference to the drawings, the tobacco web W is pulled from a rollor reel R by means of a pair of intermittently driven feed rollers 20and 22.. The operation of the machine begins with placing the leadingend of web W on a suction pickup table 24. During operation the leadingend is then picked up from table 24 by a reciprocating suction feed head26 which carries it across a suction table 23 and deposits it thereon.Feed head 26 then returns to its original-starting position. The suctiontable 28 is vertically movable and provided witha suction chamber 30. Asuitably shaped knife 32 is secured to the end of table 2S adjacentsuction pickup table 24. The hollow suction table 2S has an end section34 (FIGS. 5 and 8) which is secured to the bottom plate 36 of saidsuction table. The hollow chamber 33 of section 34 communicates with thechamber 3l? of the table 28.

To the forward edge of the hollow end section 34 is secured a ledgerplate 40 (FIGS. 3, 5, 8 and 9). Ledger plate 40 coacts with the:swingable spring-loaded vertical knife 42 mounted on a block 44 pivotedto a vertical stud 46 held by a horizontal bar 48 by means of a suitableset screw '59. Bar 4S by means of lug 52 is adjustabl-y clamped to thetop plate 54 of a suction chamber 56 secured to a frame bracket 58mounted on the bed plate 60 of the cigar machine as illustrated in FIG.l. The bar 48 is held in perfect alignment by means of a plurality ofguide pins 62 projecting from the face of top plate S4.

The table 28 is secured to and carried by the upper end of a verticalshaft 64 Whose lower end is secured to a lug 66 (FIGS. 1 and 2) which inturn is pivotally mounted to a stud 68 carried by the upper end of alink 70 whose lower end is pivotally connected to a stud 72 carried bythe free end of a cam lever 74 loosely mounted on a shaft 76 asillustrated in FIG. 2. Vertical shaft 64 is guided and slidably:supported by a hub 7S integral with the suction chamber 56. The camlever 74 is of a bell crank design and carries a cam roller Si) engaginga cam 82 mounted on the main cam shaft 84 of the machine. The lug 66carrying the suction table supporting shaft 64 is provided with anadjustable stop screw S6 coacting with a stop lug 8S projecting from avalve housing 90 secured to the bed plate 60 of the machine. It isselfevident that due to the cam action transmitted to the levers andlinks just mentioned the suction table 28 may be raised and lowered inthe desired manner.

The suction table 28 is connected to the suction chamber S6 by means ofa tube 92 secured to the bottom plate 36 of the suction table andslidingly projecting through the hole 94 into the suction chamber 56. Tothe bottom of suction chamber 56 is secured a suitable gasket or washer96 employed for the purpose of preventing admittance of suction throughthe tube 92 into suction table 28 when the latter is in its lowermostposition and the lower end of tube 92 contacts said gasket 96, asillustrated in FIG. l. The top of suction table 28 is provided with Jsuitable holes 98 through which suction is applied to the web after thelatter is fed across said table.

The suction feed head 26 consists of a main pickup member 188 and asectional pickup member 182 both of which are secured to a hollowtrough-like supporting bracket 164 which through a suitable tube 106 isconnected to a suction control box 168 which is permanently suppliedwith suction by means of duct 110 from a suitable source (not shown).bracket 104 by means of arms 112, 114 is loosely mounted on a horizontalshaft 116 secured to and carried at one end by a bracket 118 mounted ona reciprocating car- The suction feed supporting riage 120 which in turnis slidingly supported by means Y of two vertically spaced horizontalshafts 122.

One of the shafts 122 is supported and rigidly mounted at one end in abracket 124 while the other end of said shaft is suitably mounted in theframe bracket 56. The

other shaft 22 is also mounted at one end in bracket 124 While the otherend of the same is supported by means of a bracket 126 secured to theframe bracket 56. The arm 114 of the feed head supporting bracket 184 islocked to a lug 128 by means of a spring plunger 130 carried by said lugand engaging with a hole 132 of the hub of arm Y 114.` The lug 128 isrigidly attached to the horizontal shaft 116 which at its free endcarries a roller 134 which engages with a horizontal track 136 of abracket 138 mounted to the said edge of the control box 56 thusproviding additional support of the horizontal shaft 116. The arm 114 isprovided with a second hole 148 which is used for engagement with thespring plunger 130 when a lifting of the feed head is desirable duringthreading of the web into the machine.

The shaft 116 also loosely supports two forked brackets 142 and 144which carry cutting rollers 146 and 148, respectively. The cuttingroller carrying brackets 142, 144 are yieldingly connected with suitablebrackets 158 and 152, respectively, in a manner well known in the art toprovide resiliency and sufficient pressure to the rollers to elect thedesirable cutting action when passing over the knife 32 on the suctiontable 28.

The shaft 116 is horizontally reciprocated by means of the carriage 128which through adjustable link 154 is connected to an arm 156 which ismounted on an oscillating vertical shaft 160 rotatably supported by abearing bracket 162 secured to the bed plate 60 of the machine. Link 154is secured to arm 156 by means of a stud 157 adjustably engaging with asuitable slot 159 in arm 156, thus providing means for varying thereciprocal horizontal feed movement of carriage 120 (FIGS. l, 2 and 4).To vertical shaft 168 is also secured an arm 164 which engages with oneball joint end of a connecting rod 166 while the other end of said rodby means of another ball joint is connected to a cam lever 168 looselymounted on a shaft 178 (FIG. 2) suitably supported by a bearing of themain frame portion of the machine. Cam lever 168 carries a cam roller172 which engages with a cam track 174 of cam 176 mounted on the maincam shaft 84. Bracket 118 supports shaft 116 and also carries ahorizontal gear rack 178 (FIG. 3) which engages with a gear 180connected by a one-way clutch 252 to the horizontal shaft 182 supportedby suitable bearings in the bracket 124.

To shaft 182 is scured the lower web feed roll-er 22 and also a gear 184which meshes with a gear 186 mounted on a shaft 188 which supports theupper web feed roller 20. Thus reciprocation of carriage 12) earringbracket 118 provides an intermittent one-Way feed drive for feed rollersand 22. The shaft 188 at each end is provided with eccentric extensions190 supported by vertically slidable bearings 192. One of the eccentricextensions 190 on shaft 188 is provided with a lever 194 by means ofwhich the upper feed roller may be raised for web threading purposes.The spring 196 is provided to keep suicient tension between the upperfeed roller 28 and the lower feed roller 22 to effect proper feedingaction during operation of the machine.

The reel R of the web Wis supported by means of two conical anges 198and 200. Conical flange 198 is provided with a sleeve 202 (FIG. 4)rotatably supported on a stationary stud shaft 204 secured at one end toa suitable bracket 206 mounted on the bracket 124. The conical flange20() is provided with a hub 208 detachable by means of thumb screw 210secured to the sleeve 202 of conical flange 198. Integral with conicalflange 193 is a disc 212 which is provided with an annular groove 214which engages with a roller 216 pivotally secured to the free end of athreaded stud 218 held in a threaded hub 220 of the bracket 206. Thethreaded stud 218 is equipped with a knob 222 provided for the purposeof enabling one by turning said threaded stud to effect a lateraladjustment of the two conical anges 198 and 200 and therewith thelateral adjustment of the reel R and web W.

To prevent overrunning of the reel R during the intermittent feed actionapplied upon the web the conical flange 198 is provided with an annulargroove 224 which engages with a brake band 226 one end of which isanchored to the free end of a threaded stud 228 while the other end issecured to a sleeve 230 loosely supported on a shaft 232 rotatably heldin suitable bearings of the bracket 124. The sleeve 230 engages with oneend of a torsion spring 234 whose other end is anchored to a co1- lar236 secured to horizontal shaft 232 to provide resilient anchoring forthe brake band 226. To shaft 232 is also secured an arm 238 the free endof which carries an idler roller 240 which engages with the web W. Arm238 also carries a roller 242 which engages with the brake band 226. Atrip lever 244 is mounted on shaft 232 to trip a suitable micro switch246 in case web W should break or run out during operation.

Since micro switch 246 stops the entire machine when tripped, themachine is provided with a latch lever 248 which may be engaged with theroller carrying stud 250 during the initial start-up period of themachine when it is desired to keep the machine running without thefeeding of web.

As mentioned heretofore, the operation of the machine begins withplacing the leading end of web W on the pickup table 24, the forwardportion of which is supported by and mounted on a suction chamber 254,which in turn is supported by a pair of spaced guide bars 255 secured tothe top plate 54 of the suction chamber 56. The suction chamber 254 bymeans of a suitable hose or duct 256 is connected to the valve housingof the suction control box 108 while the end portion of the pickup table24, which is over the suction chamber 254, is provided with a pluralityof suitable suction holes 258 (FIGS. 5 and 8).

The undersides, i.e. the sides of the pickup member and sectional pickupmember 102 of the feed head 26, which face the pickup table 24, are alsoprovided with suitably shaped suction holes 260. At the start theleading end of the web W is held onto the pickup table 24 by means ofsuction applied to the chamber 254 and holes 258 through the table 24 asillustrated in FIG. 8. The suction supply to chamber 254 is then stoppedand suction is supplied to the pickup member and sectional pickupmembers 100 and 102, respectively, of the feed head 26, which throughholes 260 will suctionally pick up the leading end of web W from thesuction table 24. The feed head 26 then moves forward and carries theleading end of the web W over the suction table 28 while the latter isin its lowermost position where it can have no suction because of theclosure of tube 92 by gasket 96. As described heretofore, the forwardmovement of feed head 26 causes some web W to be fed from reel R by therollers 20 and 22 through the gear rack 178 connected to the feed headsupporting structure. At the end of the feed stroke, suction table 28rises slightly and suction is applied through tube 92 from the chamber56 to holes 98 to draw on the end of the web W over table 28. At the 3 1W a t) same time suction is cut off from the feed head 26 at control box9).

Web W is then firmly heid on the top surface of the suction table 28while the feed head 26 starts on its return stroke without feed actionupon the web due to the uni-directional clutch 252 on shaft 182 ofroller 22. The spring mounted cutting rollers 146 and 148 which clearedknife 32 during the forward movement of head 26 now contact the cuttingedge of knife 32 because of the slightly raised position of table 28 andcut the web at this point.

The noW severed leading piece of web held on table 28 constitutes thebinder B (FIG. 6) for the cigar While the new leading end of the rest ofthe web is again held by suction from the chamber 254 through the holes258 in the pickup table 24. The suction control, as will be describedhereinafter, is so arranged that when the suction supply to the pickupmembers 106 and 162 of the feed head 26 is shut olf, the suction supplyto the chamber 254 beneath the pickup table 24 is opened. Therefore,when the suction supply to the feed head 26 was shut off at the end ofits forward stroke, the suction supply to chamber 254 was opened so thateven before cutting the entire end of the web was rigidly held by thesuction table 28 and the chamber 254 of table 24.

After the binder B has been cut from the web W by the cutting rollers146 and 148 and the latter together with the feed head 26 have returnedto their normal starting position, the binder carrying suction table 28through cam lever 74 and cam 82 is raised an additional distance to meetthe then dwelling binder transfer arm T (FIG. l) which picks up thebinder B from the suction table 28 as the suction supply to the latteris shut olf while at the same moment suction is supplied to the transferarm T through a suitable tube 262 connected to the suction control box.

Referring to FIG. 6, it will be noted that the shape of knife 32establishes the shape of the binder except for the small projecting tabC shown in dot and dash lines. Tab C is removed by the hinge mountedknife 42 in conjunction with the ledgerplate 40 on the section 34 of thetable 2S as the table 28 moves upwardly to meet the binder transfer armT. Therefore, the binder B before reaching and contacting the transferarm T has the desirable smooth forward edge E as illustrated in FG. 6.This arrangement provides less web material loss than the double tabremoval such as shown in the co-pending application of Henry H. Wheeler,Serial No. 506,129 led May 5, 1955 and now Patent No. 2,846,010, wherethe width of the web is related to cigar diameter rather than as here(FIG. 6) cigar length. Further, this arrangement eliminates theundesirable necessity of modelling the entire suction head 28 when abinder of greater width must be produced to accommodate a cigar oflarger diameter. The distance of the feed stroke is, of course,correlated to the diameter or the circumference of the cigar. It isgenerally about two and one-half times the diameter depending on theamount of overlap desired. The only change necessary is an increasedfeed stroke for the feed head 26 and a replacement of the end section 34by a larger one. The hinged knife 42 may be moved to engage with theledger plate of the larger end section 34. This is done simply byloosening the clamp lug 52 and sliding the horizontal knife assemblysupporting bar 48 to the appropriate position. To ready the machine fora shorter or longer cigar, the only requirement is the use of a reel orweb the width of which corresponds with the length of the cigar to bemade.

It is thus of important significance that the width of the web W isestablished by the length of :the cigar S as indicated in dot and dashlines in FIG. 6 instead of the width of the web being correlated to thediameter of the cigar as heretofore. This results in both the saving ofmaterial and the elimination of modelling,r for such expensive parts asthe table 28.

FIG. 7 illustrates a binder B1 made :by a modified t? method where theprojecting tab C1 is cut olf the leading end of the web before thelatter is fed across the suction table.

All suction supplied :to the binder feeding apparatus illustrated isfunneled from a suitable source of suction (not shown) through asuitable tube or duct to the suction control box 108. The latter isprovided with two vertically slidable gate valves 2641 and 266 employedfor the purpose of controlling the flow of the suction to the Variouscomponents mentioned heretofore. Gate valve 264 by means of a slot 268(FIG. 2) engages with a pin or stud 270 carried by and projecting fromthe free end of a bell crank shaped cam lever 272 to which is pivotallymounted a cam roller 274 engaging with `a cam track 276 provided in cam32 secured to the main cam shaft 84. Cam lever 272 provides properlyItimed vertical reciprocating motion to the gate valve 264 affecting asimultaneously opening and closing, and vice versa, of the ports 278 and280 in the valve housing 90i of the control box 108 (FIG. 10). Port 278through the tube or duct 106 is connected Ito the feed head supportingbracket 104 and is employed to supply suction to the feed head 26. Port280 through the duct or tube 256 is connected to the suction chamber 254of the pickup table 24 and supplies suction 'to the same as describedheretofore. Gate Valve 264 is also provided with a pair of suitablegrooves 282 and 284 which work in conjunction with a pair of vent holes286 Kand 288, respectively, provided for the purpose of `bleeding thesuction out of ducts 106 and 256, respectively, 'after the ports 278 and280, respectively, are closed and the suction supply is shut off, lthuspreventing adherence of the web W to the feed head 26 or the pickuptable 24 after the suction supply to these components is stopped. 'I'hegate valve 266 through an yadjustable link 290 is connected to the freeend of a bell crank shaped cam lever 292 carrying a cam roller 294engaging with a track 296 of a cam 298 mounted on the main cam shaft 84.Cam 298 through lever 292 provides properly timed vertical reciprocatingmotion to the gate valve 266 to effect the control of the suction supplyto the suction table 2S and -binder transfer arm T. The gate valve 266is provided with ponts 300 and 302. The latter is designed to controlthe ow of suction through the duct or tube 304 to the chamlber 56 whichin turn supplied suction to the suction table 28, while the port 360 `isemployed to control the flow of suction through duct or tube 262 to thebinder transfer arm T.

iIn order @to provide a solid support for the knife 32 during engagementby the cutting rollers 146 and 148, the machine is provided with -ahorizontally slidable support plate 306 slidingly supported by the topsurface of suction chamber 56 betweenthe side guide bars 255' (FIG. 3).The leading front edge of plate 306 is somewhat angular and has twoleading projections 308, while the center portion of the rear edge ofsaid plate is attached to one end of a horizontal rod 316. The other endof said rod 310 is slidably supported lby a lug 312 (EIGS. 1 and 3)secured to a transverse bar 314 held by the bracket 124. To rod 3110 isalso secured a collar 316 and a compression spring 318 surrounding saidrod and conned between said collar 316 and the lug 312 is provided. Alsoslidingly and loosely engaging with rod 3110y is a lug or plate 320which in turn is secured to the reciprocating carriage (FIG. l).Adjacent or a short distance from that end of the horizontal rod 310 towhich is secured the plate 306 is secured another collar 322.

The knife supporting plate 306 operates as follows: When the carriage1-20` is in normal or backmost position as shown in FIG. 1, the plate320 engages with the collar 316 and effects a compression of the spring318` which is confined between said collars 3'16 and the bearing lug 312of the rod 310. As soon as Ithe carriage moves forward the collar 316and rod '318 due to the tendency of spring 318 is urged to move forwardalso. However, since during the forward or feed stroke of the feed headcarrying carriage 120 the suction table 28 remains in its lowermostposition the rod 310 and plate 396, after a short forward movement, arearrested as the leading projection 308 contacts the lower front edge ofthe suction table 28. When, as described heretofore, the suction table28 moves slightly upward to effect a cutting of the web W during thebackward or cutting stroke of the carriage, said upward movement of thesuction table 28 is sufficient to permit plate 306, due to the urgencyof the compression spring 31S, to slide beneath the front edge of theknife supporting portion of the suction table 2S, so that when thespring mounted cutting rollers 146 and 148 pass over the knife 32, thelatter is rigidly supported to assure a positive and clean cut of theweb W.

Since for aligning purposes it is desirable that only two leadingprojections 398 of plate 306 act as support of the knife during cuttingaction the collar 322 is so secured to rod 310 that it acts as astopping and arresting means for plate 305 when it contacts the topfront edge of the suction chamber 56. During the continued backwardstroke of the carriage 120 the plate 320, of course, engages again `withthe collar 316 causing the rod 3110 and plate 306 to move backward withthe carriage to the normal retracted starting position.

To prevent the waste tabs C, cut from the binder B by the hinge mountedknife 42, from falling into the machine, a waste receptacle 325 (FIG. 3)is provided. The latter is suitably and removably suspended from themain frame of the machine.

As used in these specifications and in the appended claims, unless acontrary intent is clearly indicated, the words wrapper and binder areintended to be interchangeable and each to include the other sinceobviously the same methods and/ or means could be used, if desired, toform a wrapper and for a binder (as these terms are more strictly usedin the art) and moreover certain cigars, as for example the type knownas Toscani, have only one leaf or web covering which can be variouslyreferred to as the wrapper or the binder since it performs the functionsof both.

We claim:

1. The method of forming tobacco binders for cigars having at least onereduced end from a continuous web source comprising selecting a websource having a width substantially equal to the length of a cigar to beWrapped, advancing a portion of said web source a distance shorter thansaid web width and correlated to the diameter of said cigar, making asingle irregular substantially transverse severance of said web toseparate said advanced portion and reducing said portion in the regionwhich is r to cover said reduced end of the cigar by removing a singlesmall tab therefrom.

2. The method of reducing waste material in severing a cigar coveringfrom a continuous web having a first pair of opposed rectilinearparallel edges, said method comprising selecting a web of a widthapproximating the length of a cigar to be covered and severing a portionfrom said web having a linear dimension shorter than said width andcorrelated to the diameter of a cigar, said linear dimension being aselected multiple at least twice the diameter of the cigar, said portionhaving a first pair of opposed rectilinear parallel sides conterminouswith `said edges and a second pair of opposed substantially parallelsides formed by a first and a second identical severance, in sequence,substantially transverse said edges, and removing a single smalltriangular segment from said portion in an area included between aportion of one of said rectilinear sides and one of said sides formed byone` of said severances, to reduce the amount of web that will beapplied to one end of said cigar.

3. A article of manufacture formed by the method set forth in claim 2.

4. An article of manufacture for covering a cigar comprising a portionof web tobacco material having one linear dimension substantiallyequivalent to the length of a cigar, being bounded at each end of saiddimension by an individual one of two parallel rectilinear edges of atobacco web and having a second dimension transverse to said first-nameddimension, shorter than said first dirnension, and being correlated tothe diameter of a cigar and being bounded at each end by an individualone of two substantially identical irregular parallel edges forming saidarticle, and further characterized in that one of said irregularparallel edges differs from the other of said irregular parallel edgesby a small sector like segment or tab.

5. The method of making cigar wrappers or binders from a continuous webof tobacco material, said binders or wrappers having an opposed pair ofparallel rectlinear edges conterminous with rectilinear edges of saidweb, which method consists in the following steps in the describedorder: (l) selecting a web having a width substantially equal to thelength of a cigar to be enclosed therein; (2) severing the leading endof said web by means of an irregular cut completely traversing said webfrom edge to edge thereof, to completely form the rear boudary on afirst Wrapper or binder, and to form substantially the entire frontboundary of a second binder or wrapper; (3') substantiallysimultaneously with the severing described in step (2), severing saidsingle small section from the front boundary of said first wrapper orbinder to complete its formation and to reduce the tobacco web materialwhich is to enclose a shaped end of a cigar; (4) transporting said firstwrapper or binder to another station; and (5) longitudinally advancingsaid web after said complete severing into position to permit theformation of the rear boundary and the modification of the frontboundary of said second wrapper or binder.

6. The method of forming binders for cigars from a web source, saidbinders having two opposed pairs of substantailly parallel sidesslightly modified at one corner only, said method comprising thefollowing steps:

(l) Selecting a web of a width substantially equal to the length of acigar to be enwrapped therein;

(2) Completely severing a leading end transversely of said web, to forma first preliminary contoured end of a first binder;

(3) Linearly advancing said leading end a distance shorter than said webwidth and correlated to the diameter of said cigar;

(4) Removing a small tab from said leading end to complete said firstcontoured end of said first binder;

(5) Completely severing said linearly advanced end of said webtransversely of said web to form a complete second contoured end of saidfirst binder and a first preliminary contoured end of a second binder.

7. The wide-web, knife-severance method of forming a binder, for a cigarhaving at least one reduced end, from a wide tobacco web having opposedparallel rectilinear edges spaced substantially equal to the length of acigar to be enclosed therein, to save tobacco web material, and toobviate the expense of a die, which method comprises: (l) advancing saidwide web a predetermined distance, shorter than said web width, andcorrelated to the diameter of said cigar; (2) making two identicalirregular, substantailly parallel, transverse knife-severancescompletely across said wide web, to sever said binder from said web; and(3) making a second single shorter, rectilinear, knife-severance, toremove a single small triangular tab, to reduce the binder in the regionwhich is to enwrap said reduced end of said cigar.

8. In the machine manufacture of binders, or wrappers, for cigars, themethod of operation which comprises: (l) selecting a web of tobaccomaterial having a pair of substantially parallel rectilinear edges, andhaving a width substantially equal to the length of a cigar bunch, orcigar, to be enwrapped in a binder, or wrapper, formed therefrom; and(2) making two spaced substantially parallel severances, completelyacross said web, between said edges, said severances separated adistance shorter than said length, and so directed as to permit theenwinding ot said bunch, or cigar, in at least two partially superposedlayers of said material wound helically between said rectilinear edges,along the length of said bunch, or cigar.

9. In the machine manufacture of binders, or wrappers, for cigars havingreduced tuck ends, the method of operation which comprises: (1)selecting a web of tobacco material having a pair of substantiallyparallel rectilinear edges, and having a width substantially equal tothe length of a cigar bunch, or cigar, to be enwrapped in a binder, orWrapper, formed; (2) making two spaced substantially parallelseverances, completely across said web, between said edges, saidseverances separated a distance shorter than said length, and sodirected as to permit the en- References Cited in the ile of this patentUNITED STATES PATENTS 657,403 Du Brul Sept. 4, 1900 1,257,815 CourtinadeFeb. 26, 1918 1,601,127 McFarland Sept. 28, 1926 1,831,374 Topping Nov.10, 1931 2,316,784 Gladeck Apr. 20, 1943 2,846,010 Wheeler Aug. 5, 1958

1. THE METHOD OF FORMING TOBACCO BINDERS FOR CIGARS HAVING AT LEAST ONEREDUCED END FROM A CONTINUOUS WEB SOURCE COMPRISIGN SELECTING A WEBSOURCE HAVING A WIDTH SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL THE LENGTH OF A CIGAR TO BEWRAPPED, ADVANCING A PORTION OF SAID WEB SOURCE A DISTANCE SHORTER THANSAID WEB WIDTH AND CORRELATED TO THE DIAMETER OF SAID CIGAR, MAKING ASINGLE IRREGULAR SUBSTANTIALLY TRANSVERSE SEVERANCE OF SAID WEB TOSEPARATE SAID ADVANCED PORTION AND REDUCING SAID PORTION IN THE REGIONWHICH IS TO COVER SAID REDUCED END OF THE CIGAR BY REMOVING A SINGLESMALL TAB THEREFROM.